2012-12-10

Jimmy at Jim´s House

Jimmy at Jim´s HOUSE & Gardens for the second time and loving it. Indoors there is a wonderful mix of East meets West in the new way of using the Thai houses that the architect Jim Thompson came up with.

Outdoors is the most amazing garden. I have been here before and when I got back to Bangkok this time I knew I had to visit James Harrison Wilson Thompson´s gardens again ( Yep, that is his whole name) The garden starts with these zig zag brick´s that lead you into a tropic greenery.

The thai teak houses are elevated a full story above ground to prevent flooding in the rainy season. The red color of the houses also works as a preservative. The clay pots with fishes and water plants are so beautiful and soothing and they stand along the brick walkway. Naturally there is a pond with fishes and turtles as well.

The american born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906 must have loved Siam which Thailand was called then. The house and the art collection soon became such a point of interest that he decided to open his home to the public with proceeds donated to Thai charities and to projects directed at the preservation of Thailand´s cultural heritage.

His devoted knowledge of the craft of the hand weaving of silk with the gift of designing and coloring and the fact that he never remarried combined with the fact that he introduced silk to American Vogue as well as making the connection with the productions of the King and I, conclude that Jim was a friend of Dorothy´s. Do you agree ?

Jim Thompson disappeared in 1967 without a clue the same year as I make an entrance into this world. His disappearance as well as his life over all was foretold by astrologers whom even decided on what day to start the building of his house. I give thanks to Jim and his love of Thailand and his premature way of mixing East with West. THANK YOU JIM you are my style ICON.